All She Needed

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 27th February 2006

Characters: Birigundi, Nialyn
Description: Nialyn's insecurity brings up a couple points between her and Biri
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 10, day 12 of Turn 3

Birigundi

Even though Nialyn knew that she shouldn't be so embarrassed over the last time Birigundi had been with her, the fact of the matter was, she _was_
embarrassed. Still. Even now she could feel her cheeks redden as she remembered the look on his face as she'd knelt over the bucket, no doubt looking like something the canine dragged in.

She knew that the reality had hit him hard that morning. She'd seen it in his face.

Nialyn pursed her lips as she studied herself critically in the mirror, looking at the way the pretty dress clung to her in all the right ways. It wouldn't cling like that for long.

And Birigundi would be the first man to notice.

She ran her hands down her sides, adjusting the light, silky material of the dress so it settled better around her hips, wishing that the look on his face and the fact that he'd be the first to notice the change in her body wasn't bothering her so much. How would he look at her once her belly began to expand? Would he turn up his nose in disgust? Would he make up excuses not to come and see her as often as he used to?

Would he stop seeing her as a woman?

Nialyn had told him before that he was sweet - and she believed it. She did. But...but she didn't _know_ him. Not really. Would he still be the sweet young man she knew now when the changes were starting to become more and more apparent? She didn't know. But she _did_ know of his reputation with the beautiful ladies.

**Stop it, Nialyn... You're being paranoid.**

But was she?

Frowning slightly at the mirror, she moved her fingers up to brush at the low neckline of the dress. She wanted him to keep seeing her as a woman -
even when she was pregnant. And she didn't want him to forget it, even now. Perhaps it was paranoia. Perhaps it was insecurity and vanity that was making her behave this way. But she couldn't forget the look on his face.

Tonight had provided the perfect excuse to get him to come to her weyr. He hadn't told her about his birthday. It had passed about a sevenday ago, and she wouldn't have even found out if she hadn't overheard bits and pieces of a discussion among a group of giggling girls. So she'd sent a note, asking him to come to her weyr so she could give him his birthday present.

Nialyn wanted him to remember that she was a woman.

She didn't want him to forget.

Being so lost in her own thoughts, she hadn't even heard the gentle knock on the door. "Nialyn?" Birigundi called as he poked his head through the door. "Nialyn, is everything all right?"

"Oh!" Shells, she hadn't even heard him come in! Quickly, she smoothed her expression and her long hair back behind her ears before stepping out from behind the curtain. "Sorry, Biri. I didn't hear you knock. Yes, everything's fine." She watched his face closely as she walked towards him, wanting to see his reaction to her wearing such a dress.

**Shards...** Birigundi thought as he watched her walk towards him, her skirts flowing around her. His eyebrows arched in pleasant surprise, and an approving grin tugged at the corner of his lips as his eyes traveled up appreciatively from her shoes to her eyes. "Uh... You look... You look stunning. What's the occasion?"

Nialyn smiled at him, not really knowing if it was a sultry smile or a sweet smile. Maybe it was a little of both. "I'd thought I'd give you your birthday present. Apparently you're a Turn older as of last sevenday?" She stood on tiptoe to gently kiss his cheek.

"Yes, I suppose that's true," he murmured. Oh, she was wearing some kind of flowery perfume too! The scent wafted around him as she moved. "I'm flattered you would go to such the trouble. A simple 'happy birthday' would do, you know." But his smile and the glint in his eyes told her he was quite pleased with the fact that she had gone to some lengths.

"I never would've found out if I didn't work in the dining cavern, Birigundi. How come you didn't tell me? You're not _too_ old yet to pretend that you don't have a birthday." She took his hand and led him over to her couch.

He shrugged. "I don't know. I guess because I was hoping to get a special surprise from you when you found out," he teased. Of course, he had thought of telling her. He had thought of inviting her to his little get together. But then he had thought better of it. Birigundi was sure he knew what would be happening at the party - so many girls he knew so well, all drunk and ready to give him little 'presents'... It was nothing he was ashamed of, but, for some reason, he really hadn't wanted _her_ to see him acting like that.

"Mmm..." Nialyn wasn't dense. And she certainly didn't want to bring up the fact that she _had_ felt...slighted. And the fact that he hadn't told her only added to her uncertainty about their whole situation. It wasn't the most pleasant feeling in the world.

Trying to ignore the resurfacing feelings, she let her fingers slide from his as she sat down. "What do you think of your special surprise?" she asked, gesturing to the meal she had set up on the small table in front of them. "There were a lot of girls very willing to tell me what your favorite foods were."

"Yes, well," he rubbed at his neck self-consciously, "I guess I've been here long enough for people to get to know me. It looks wonderful. You look wonderful. I'm truly touched, Nialyn."

"Are you?" The soft words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, and she closed her eyes, not liking the way that sounded at all. Even to her own ears it sounded vulnerable, and that wasn't the impression she wanted to give off tonight.

"Of course I am." He looked at her a moment, trying to read what was going in her head. "Am I doing something wrong, Nialyn?"

She shook her head, fighting the sudden lump in her throat. **Oh, _Nialyn_...what are you doing?** It was the hormones, she decided. They were heightened because of her pregnancy, and they were toying with her thought-process and her emotions. She was too sensitive... She was too...

"Nialyn, are you... are you crying?"

"It's the sharding pregnancy," she muttered, blinking back the tears. "It's toying with me, Biri. It's screwing with my emotions and I can't... I can't..."

"All right, all right," Birigundi said gently to pacify her. He walked around the table to take her hand and lifted her gently to her feet and wrapped his arms around her. "It's ok, Nialyn." Of course, he wasn't sure what 'it' _was_ exactly, but she seemed really upset about it.

Shards, she felt so ridiculous. Here she was, done up in a gorgeous, revealing dress, rouge, and had set up a lovely dinner for them both, and had plans to have him stay the whole night...and she was _crying_. Perfect. Just perfect. And here she'd been wanting to remind him that she was a woman, _not_ a child. So much for that.

Birigundi hated it when a woman cried. He hated it even more if he suspected that he might be the cause. "Please, Nia, can't you tell me why you're so sad?"

She pressed her cheek against his shoulder, waiting until she'd found her voice again before whispering softly, "I don't...I don't know quite where I stand with you, Biri."

"What do you mean?" he asked, pulling back so he could look into her face.
"You are going to be the mother of my child. I come when you call. Shards, I come when you _don't_ call. I enjoy being with you."

"Things will change. Things will get harder." She looked down. "_I'm_
going to change. Physically. And emotionally. Though I guess I've got the emotional part down, don't I?" A faint smile touched her lips before it faded.

"Of course things will change," he nodded. "You're going to have a baby. _My_ baby. And it's going to be exciting watching you change because every day is a day closer to when I'm going to be a father. And you're going to be beautiful."

Fresh tears sprang into her eyes and she looked up at him, searching his face.

He leaned down to kiss her eyes softly. "I may not have only you in my life, Nialyn, but I promise I will always be a part of your life and the life of our baby."

And right now, his spoken reassurance was all she needed. Tilting her face, she gently pressed her lips to his.

Birigundi returned her kiss softly, not sure exactly what it was that she needed from him at this moment. It seemed he had said the right thing, but he decided to follow her lead. She needed reassurance much more than he needed a birthday present.

Last updated on the February 27th 2006

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All She Needed